Baked Parmesan Tomatoes

Adapted from EatingWell

OMG I love these! It makes me think I'm eating pizza without the guilt and calories!

Picture from EatingWell

Ingredients:
3 large tomatoes, each cut in 3 thick slices
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/8 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Olive oil spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Place tomato slices on a baking sheet. Top with cheeses and then sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. Then spray each with olive oil. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Be careful they are very hot straight from the oven!

Tip: I didn't actually measure the salt, pepper and oregano; just sprinkle an even amount on each slice.

Balsamic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Recipes from EatingWell

IM BACK!!! It's been too long since I've added a new recipe. First one up is an easy one, but it tastes great and is super healthy! If you're a cauliflower fan then you should definitely give this a try.

Picture from EatingWell

Ingredients:
4 cups, 1-inch thick cauliflower florets
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Toss the cauliflower in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt & pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast until starting to soften and brown on the bottom, around 15 minutes. Sprinkle the cauliflower with the cheese and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is the easiest chicken pot pie ever! I love making this when the weather is cold, it's very comforting. Thanks to a prior supervisor who gave me this recipe.

Now this recipe makes enough filling for either two small pot pies or a large overflowing one (with a little extra). I always make two.

I forgot to take a picture b/c I made this for company and we were all hungry! I'll make this again soon though so no worries!

Ingredients
Deep dish pie shell (1 or 2)
Pillsbury roll out pie dough (1 or 2)
1 can of cream of potato soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans of veg-all vegetables
3 chicken breasts

Directions
Boil or bake the chicken and dice it up.

Mix up everything in a large bowl and then pour into the deep dish shell. Cover the shell with the roll out pie dough and pinch together the edges, cutting off the excess. Use a fork to poke holes in the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly.

Pecan Sandies

Recipe from Betty Crocker

My first attempt at making this type of cookie and I must say they tasted great! The maple flavor really made these cookies, everyone committed on how they loved it.

Ingredients
1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp maple flavor
1/4 cup sugar

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together (except the 1/4 cup sugar) until dough forms. I used my dough hooks on my hand blender.

Roll out 1-inch balls; roll balls in 1/4 cup sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet; press each with the bottom of glass to flatten slightly.

Bake to 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Adapted from Paula Dean

For Thanksgiving, I was giving the task of bringing dessert. I wanted something simple and different than the usual pies, but something still fitting of the season.

Ingredients: 
2 (14 oz) packages gingerbread cake mix
1 (5.1 oz) box instant vanilla pudding
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin pie filling
1 (16 oz) container frozen whipped topping
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)

Directions
Bake the gingerbread cake as directed on the box; cool completely. I mixed both mixes together and used a 13x9 pan (about 3/4 of the mixture) & a bread pan (about 1/4 of the mixture). I only used the cake from the 13x9 pan for this recipe.

When cake is completely cooled, crumble the cake from the 13x9 pan, setting aside 1/4 cup crumbs for garnish.

Make the pudding as directed on the box, let it set for 5 minutes in the fridge. After set, mix in the pumpkin filling, cinnamon and brown sugar (if using).

In a trifle bowl begin layering the cake crumbs, pumpkin mix and whipped topping. Garnish with reserved cake crumbs.

Refrigerate until serving.

White Fish Bake

Sorry no clever title, but at least I'm blogging again! It's been a while I know. I have a lot of recipes on my list to make and I'm finally feeling inspired again, so there should be many more blogs to come! Recently I purchased a huge box of frozen white fish. It's awesome because it's healthy, thaws quickly and doesn't smell or taste fishy! Well with so much fish to make I figured I needed to try something new and this is my first new fish recipe with ingredients I already had in the house.

I was really happy with how it turned out, it had lots of flavor!

Ingredients:
4 (4oz) tilapia fillets (or other white fish)
5 grape tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 slices of whole-wheat bread, crumbled in pieces (the heel works best)
1 1/2 tsp italian seasonings
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp olive oil
Onion powder
Salt & Pepper
Olive oil spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pat fish dry then season each side with salt, pepper and onion powder. Spray olive oil in a small baking pan. Place fish in baking pan and bake for approx. 10 minutes.

In a bowl mix together bread, cheese, italian seasonings and garlic powder. Spread the bread mixture on each fillet and then top with tomatoes. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until fillets flake and are fully cooked. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your fish.

Eggs in a Basket

My husband taught me this recipe a couple years ago, I think one of the guys he was working with at the time told him about it. It's basic eggs and toast, but with a twist!

Scrambled Version

Ingredients:
1 slice of bread
1 large egg
1 tbs butter
Salt, pepper or other seasonings

Directions:
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cut a hole in the middle of the bread. You can use a cookie cutter or a small glass (like I did).

Two ways to cook the eggs:

Scramble - whisk the egg w/seasonings in a small bowl until combined
Leave the egg whole (add seasoning on top of the egg after added to skillet)

At this point you want to put the bread in the skillet and pour the egg in the hole (scrambled or whole). Cook on the first side form 1-2 minutes or until you can flip it without making a mess. Fry the egg on the other side for an additional minute. (I like to "toast" the cut-out parts of the bread in the pan too.)  

Ta Da! Eggs in a Basket! 

Best Thai in Frisco

Best Thai
8897 Coleman Blvd
Frisco, TX 75034

So it's Friday night and it's time to try out a new restaurant…decisions, decisions. The Mr. and I wanted something close, casual and different than are recent American & Mexican choices. We decided on Best Thai in Frisco.

The place was simple, but nice. We went early (around 5:30pm) so it wasn't very busy. 

There were a lot of dishes to pick from and I had trouble choosing. I decided to go with a classic "Sesame Chicken" and Chris got the "Jungle Noodle". He liked the name, LOL. When it comes to Asian dishes I typically pick a dish with rice and the husband picks dishes with noodles. We always share though so it works out. 

Look at the rice in a heart shape, very cute! Though I was hoping for more vegetables, I really enjoyed this dish. 75% of how I judge an Asian restaurant is by their meat and this place passed my pickiness! Big chunks of nice white meat with little to no gristle, perfect. The sauce was also great, pretty much the taste you would expect from Sesame Chicken.

Jungle Noodle: Fresh big flat noodles stir-fried with white onion, jalapeno, green bean, tomato and sweet basil (with your choice of beef, chicken, pork, shrimp or tofu)

I really liked this dish too, it had the perfect amount of spiciness! They asked on a scale of 1 to 5 how spicy you want it. Chris got 2. It was perfect. All of the flavors went together very well.

Great place, I can't wait to go back!

Side note: I got my iphone 4s in today and the pictures are complementary of it! I LOVE this phone!

Flip Flop Cake & Tropical Cupcakes

My mother-in-law is a flip flop fanatic so for her 50th birthday what did I decide to make her? A flip flop cake of course :)

Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 oz) box white cake mix

1 (3 oz) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin

1 (15 oz) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

4 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil and water; beat at medium speed until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter @ room temp

1 8oz bar cream cheese @ room temp

1 1/2 lbs shifted powder sugar 

1 tbs vanilla 

Directions:

Cream together all ingredients except sugar. Slowly add the sugar to cream cheese mixture. Make sure that all the sugar is mixed in well. 

*If to stiff of a consistency use less sugar or add a little milk

*If to thin add more sugar 

Marshmallow Fondant
Ingredients:
8oz miniature marshmallows (about half a 16oz bag)
1/2 pound powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tbs water
Shortening
Food coloring, optional

Directions:
Put marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl and add 1/2 tbs water. Microwave on high for 1 minute, until the marshmallows are puffy and expanded.

Stir the marshmallows with a rubber spatula until they are melted and smooth. If some unmelted marshmallow pieces remain, return to the microwave for 15-30 seconds until the mixture is evenly smooth and free of lumps. If you want colored fondant, you can add several drops of food coloring at this point and stir until incorporated.

At this point you want to use a mixer that has dough hook attachments. Grease up the attachments with the shortening. Add about half of the powdered sugar to the melted marshmallows and mix on medium speed until incorporated.

Then pour the rest of the powdered sugar into the bowl of fondant, grease up your hands and continue to knead the fondant by hand. Keep kneading until you have a firm ball with little stickiness. Add more sugar if necessary.

For best results grease the fondant and wrap it in plastic wrap. Store it in the fridge overnight before use. When it's time to used the fondant take it out of the fridge, unwrap it and place in in a microwavable dish. Put in microwave for only 5 seconds at a time until pliable enough to knead with your hands. WARNING it will melt very fast so be very careful when microwaving.

To use the fondant roll it out and cut your desired shapes or designs.

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

Recipe from BettyCrocker

Oh Betty how I love you! You make baking so much easier and you taste delicious too. Yet another BC recipe that I will continue to make. The only thing I might try next time is to use fresh apples instead of the canned filling (canned still tasted great).

Ingredients:

1 pouch Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix
1/2 cup firm butter or margarine
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbs all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 (21oz) can apple pie filling
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom bottom and sides of 13x9 inch pan with baking spray.

Place cookie mix in large bowl. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture; pressing remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked crust. In a medium bowl mix pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved crumbs on top. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden light brown. Cool about 30 minutes, refrigerate and chill for at least two hours.